This Week I Have Been Mostly Playing…
Luigi's Mansion 3 on Nintendo Switch
So here we are, hurtling through peak game release season. Titles flying at us from all angles as the days begin to freeze and nights darken quicker it’s all a bit discombobulating. Most games release at this time to make the most of Christmas sales but for once there was an apt release on Halloween. That time of year for carved pumpkins, scary ghosts and obviously Luigi!
There’s my boy! Finally my second most anticipated game of the year gets released and spoilers, it was worth the wait! The premise carries on as before, your friends have been ghostnapped and you must get them back by exploring a huge haunted hotel catching ghosts, uncovering secrets and recovering Mario et all.
For those returning to the series its very much more of the same but that is a good thing. Gloriously wrapped in shiny HD graphics it looks stellar. No offense to the 3DS but this is how the series should look and feel. The premise is simple, you turn up to a hotel when everyone in your party is taken and you must explore each level trying to find them. Unfortunately the buttons in the lift for each floor have been stolen and you need to recover them! Each floor is themed such as the Medieval one which adds to the intrigue as you gradually take back the buttons.
These are recovered at the end of each floor with a boss fight that matches the theme of that level. Having such different looks on each level is a genius design move and really makes the game stand out. I am actually excited to find out what is there when the lift doors open. On Luigi’s Mansion 2 (LM2) it was based around multiple but very similar houses that were for the most part forgettable. Here each level shines and makes me eager to discover the next one!
Another big difference from the last title is how much more open the game is, there are very few loading screens, no bastard pulling you out of a house just as you were getting into the flow as there was on LM2. Here you can jump between each level quickly via the elevator and explore to your heart’s content.
Mechanics wise they stick to the tried and trusted formula. You have the Poltergust 3000 that sucks, blows and shines a torch. It is your main tool for ghost catching and ones that feel as satisfying as ever. Added to this they have a jump to push ghosts away from you, a plunger you can fire at things that can be sucked up to destroy or move them. Finally the main change and it welcomes Gooigi. A goo clone of the protagonist, he is able to squeeze through the bars and get into new areas. It also makes local couch coop viable though it does have the feel of the Lego games where it feels like the tasks are divided up in half so one person is always waiting on the other. It’s fine but not a game changer.
The music matches the themes of each world, with the sound effects spot on. The level of thought and effort that have gone into this game is just wonderful. It’s the small things that really make this game. Whether it’s the little flourishes of the boss ghosts as you suck them up, the coins hidden in clever places or just how well the floor themes work. This culminates in a title that is so well thought out, much loved by the creators I can't help but admire it. A shout out to Polterpup, who has a starring role in helping you get through the game, bringing you back to life and being really fucking cute. The hero of the games obviously.
There are some caveats. You spend a lot of time hoovering up money and gold bars but its mainly to buy saves, there are no upgrades to buy which is a shame. On top of that, as much as I really like this game it does get repetitive towards the end. Some of the puzzles are brilliant (kudos to the film studio area) and I liked the boss but it begins to all amount to the same. Don’t get me wrong, it’s well worth a play. It’s just that they run out of ideas.
For me one of the biggest overriding thoughts is why the hell Mario gets so much admiration when there is obviously a far superior man in this universe. Creeping around rooms with him mumbling to himself, full of whimpers and screams, he oozes character and I can't help but love him.
No game is for everyone but this one must come pretty close. It’s just so well thought out and made, I worry it won’t get the credit it deserves. Sure it’s the third iteration but surely is the best yet. It’s been so long since the last that I have been rationing my playthrough to stretch out the first time through. I hope I never make it to the penthouse suite!
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